Radio frequency identification (RFID) is becoming an important identification technology in numerous applications such as inventory management, security access, personnel identification, factory automation, and files and document identification. RFID systems utilize an RFID transmitter-receiver unit (usually referred to as a base station or interrogator) to query an RFID transponder or tag which may be located at a distance from the transmitter-receiver unit. The RFID tag which incorporates a chip detects the base station signal and transmits a response signal via an antenna incorporated in the tag containing encoded data back to the base station.
RFID systems provide identification functions not found in other identification technologies such as optical indicia (e.g., bar code) recognition systems. For example, RFID systems may employ RFID tags containing read/write memory of several kilobytes or more. The RFID tags may be readable at a distance and do not require direct line-of-sight view by the base station. Further, multiple RFID tags may be read by the RFID system at one time and specific item identification down to the individual unit can be undertaken using RFID tags. RFID tag reader equipment and associated equipment are commercially available and manufactured by a number of companies.
The breakthrough in RFID technology that allows the creation of electronic product code (EPC) is the conversion of the RFID tag from a database holding the information about the tagged item, to a URL that points to a database. That, together with the Internet, allows the creation and proper function of the EPC.
RFID systems, including tags, readers and middleware for same, are currently designed by specialists and the end user is often not given a choice of equipment, middleware with the resultant cost being quite expensive. One problem that exists is that some hardware is incompatible with other hardware and with various middleware and therefore compatible components must be selected. Thus, there exists a need to allow an end user to design a RFID network system according to the user own needs and without the present requirement of having consultants design same.